Disinfecting compound.



, To all whom it may concern:

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELM nnnyrus, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

978,142. No Di-awing.

Be it known that I, WILHELM DREYFUS, a citizen of the United States,residing in the boron h of Manhattan, city, county, and State of 1% newand useful Improvement in Disinfecting Compounds, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to a disinfecting and deodorizing compoundcontaining a large percentage of formaldehyde in rm available for use indisinfectin machines, and in a process for making sai compound.

It is well known that water will readily absorb formaldehyde gas,forming an aqueous solution which is useful for some purposes. Such asolution, however, is not suitable for commercial use in themachinescommonly used for distributing disinfectants. 1

The present invention relates to means whereby the powerful disinfectingualities of formaldehyde ma be made avai able in the disinfectingmachines commonly in use, without dan er of dama ing them in the least.For tliis purpose incorporate formaldehyde in a l1qu1d oily medium,preferably by the process hereinafter described.

. In the preferred modification of my improved process I make a solutionof caustic alkali in alcohol, and in this solution I dissolve theformaldehyde or a olymerized form thereof, preferably para orm. Thissolution is incorporated successfully with a mineral oil in clear andsubstantial y homogeneous solution by admixture of a natural orsynthetic essentlal oil.

One way in which theabove process may be carried out is the following,although it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the use ofthe proportions named or to the particular substances or stepsdescribed, save in so far as specifically claimed hereinafter. Twoseparate mixtures are prepared. One of these.for convenience calledmixture A-is prepared by dissolving three pounds of caustic alkalipreferably caustic potash in seven allons of grain or wood alcohol,practical y free of acetones. To this I add twenty-four pounds ofparaform which is dissolved by the solution. The other mixture--forconvenience referred to as mixture B -is prepared by mixingapproximately equal parts of nat- DISINFECTING OOMPOUNDL Specificationof Letters Patent. Application filed December 1, 1908. Serial No.465,541.

ew York, have invented a certain ural or synthetic oil of Wintergreenand refined mineral oil or petroleum and heatin the same from 100 to 150Fahr. The 01 used for lighting urposes will answer in this connection,alt ough I prefer the heavier distillates so long as they are liqu denough for use in the disinfecting machlne above mentioned.

A barrel of 'my greferred disinfecting compound may bema e by addingfrom one to two gallons of mixture A to ten allons of the hot mixture B,and, while still hot, mixing the resulting compound with enoughadditional mineral oil to make a barrel of about 54 allons.

I have ound that the compound produced in accordance with my inventionis a substantially uniform product which gives ofit both formaldehydeand the perfume when properl distributed in the space to be dsinfectezll The com ound above described is found efficient an usefulwhen placed in an apropriate container in the apartment to e disinfectedor deodorized, whence it is disseminated by volatilization, this processbeing assisted in some cases by the slow dischines above mentioned aregenerally .em-'

ployed; and in these wicks are enerally employed for carrying out thedisinfecting liquid. It is one object of m invention to supply a liquidwhich will e carried off successfully in this manner by means of wickswithout danger of clogging. For th1s purpose it is out o the question tosaponify the oil, and the use of alkali in my process produces nosaponification, as the reaction of the paraform and alkali in solution Aprevents this. By the term free. oil in my claims, I mean oil which isnot saponified.

What I claim is-- y 1. A disinfecting liquid comprising free mineral oilincorporated with an essential oil and with a solution of caustic alkaliand formaldehyde, substantially as described.

2. A disinfecting liquid comprising free mineral oil incorporated withan essential oil and with a solution of caustic alkali and formaldehydein alcohol, substantially as described.

3. A disinfecting liquid comprising free mineral oil incorporated withan essential Patented Dec. 13, 1910. i I

oil and with an alkaline solution of polymerized formaldehyde,substantially as described.

4. The process of preparing a disinfecting fluid which consists inmixing a refined mineral oil With an essential oil and a solution ofcaustic alkali and formaldehyde of such proportions that thesap'onifying effect of the alkali is neutralized, substantially asdescribed.

5. The process of preparing a disinfecting fluid which consists inmixing a mineral oil with an essential oil and an alcoholic solution ofcaustic alkali and formaldehyde of such proportions that the saponifyingefi'ect of the alkali is neutralized, substantially as described.

G. The process of preparing a disinfecting fluid which consists indissolving formaldehyde in a solution of caustic alkali in alcohol,preparing a mixture of mineral oil and an essential oil, heating thelatter, and mixing the aforesaid solution of formaldehyde with saidheated mixture, substantially as described.

WILHELM DREYFUS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. E. JEFFERrEs, MAY A. BUTLER.

